Untouched: The Cross of Change
by Venerate
Summary: Uzumaki Naruto has dedicated his entire life to the art of ballet. It isn't until a tragic accident occurs that he – for the first time – feels something akin to love for someone else. : YAOI, sister-story to UPL :
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto. This applies to all chapters.

**Warnings:** YAOI; SasuNaru, bad language, unorthodox methods, sexual activities, sexual harassments, bullying, minor character death. Ballet dancing!Naruto.

**Genre:** This is a romantic drama, like most of my things. I've tried to be as romantic and sensual as possible without making them out of character.

**Summary:** Uzumaki Naruto has dedicated his entire life to the art of ballet. It isn't until a tragic accident occurs that he – for the first time – feels something akin to love for someone else.

**IMPORTANT:** This is a story written in third person: about Naruto's life. There is a sister-story to this! It is named **Untouched: The Persistence of Loss**. It's also written in third person: about Sasuke's life.

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**Untouched: ****The Cross of Change**

**Written by Venerate**

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**P****rologue**

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When Uzumaki Naruto was seven years old, he was full of energy. His stamina was incredible, and his eagerness would never be outmatched. He could go on and on for ages; running around, talking, laughing, doing cartwheels and _running around_. He got lost several times, as the nanny didn't stand a chance against the blue-eyed seven-year-old. It was impossible to get a hold of him once he had set his mind on hiding from his babysitter.

His parents were very busy people. His father was Namikaze Minato, Konohagakure no Sato's mayor. He was often away on business trips, and when he wasn't, he had meetings and papers to sign. He was the very definition of a workaholic, bringing all sorts of assignments home.

His wife, Uzumaki Kushina, wasn't much better. She tried to avoid her home as much as possible, meeting her friends and picking up hobbies that required her presence somewhere else. Anywhere but her empty home where her loud, seven year old son lived. She hated the guilt that flowed inside of her each time she got in her car to go to her friends or to her favourite art gallery.

She just didn't know how to handle the bundle of energy on her own. He was so alike her, but she couldn't understand how her parents had succeeded in raising her.

True that she could have shared her responsibilities with the nanny, but she never had the courage to face the person who had, so far, raised her wild son. Minato was the one hiring nannies and babysitters, since she didn't get along with them too well. She was a kind person by nature, but the guilt she felt upon hiring nannies turned her into a monster.

To one of her closest friends, she voiced her thoughts. It felt good to clear the air, only to realise that her friend, Inuzuka Tsume, had had the same problem with her son Kiba. She was a busy woman as well, always with her dogs, training them and taking them to competitions. While Kiba had been unbearable as a younger child, he became more manageable after he joined the local soccer team.

So Kushina did what she believed would be the best for her son: she signed him up for a list of activities, in hopes that it would bring her son closer to her yet again.

It didn't work. Naruto was a bit too clumsy and wild for most sports. He wasn't suited for tennis, soccer or baseball. He didn't seem to be made for any sports involving balls and team tactics. In a desperate attempt to get Naruto to calm down and use his energy, she signed him up for what she herself had been doing as a young girl.

Ballet.

Perhaps their shared interest would lead them back together, and Naruto would stop referring the nanny as his mother.

Naruto's first ballet class ended in catastrophe. Yet, Kushina felt in her gut that this was _right_. This would fit Naruto so well. She took him to more classes; sometimes forcing her hyperactive son to go, sometimes bribing him. After a month's worth of classes, Naruto was actually starting to like the dance.

When the media found out, Minato's life became a living Hell.

He attended press conferences, defending the dance of ballet – no, it was not only for gays and girls. He had to ignore how his co-workers joked behind his back. He pretended not to notice the odd stares he got as he demanded the day off so that he could watch his son's first ballet show.

Kushina didn't suffer as her husband did, and she failed to feel the sympathy that Minato wanted.

They got a divorce a year after Naruto started his ballet classes.

Despite that, Naruto's endless energy seemed to remain – it kept his mother at distance, but he didn't care. He wanted to do the ballet, as it had become his goal – _his dream_ – to become the best ballet dancer in all of Asia. He worked as hard as he could, his body and mind completely absorbed in his new love.

Kushina took her son with her as she moved out from Minato's mansion. They moved into an average house with a small garden, close to the ballet studio. The shows that the ballet club held became more and more popular. Soon, the tickets had become very expensive, and the upper-class of their town was always there to see the young children perform and dance.

In a frantic attempt to get close to her son before it was too late, she became Naruto's manager. She hired a personal trainer for her now eight-year-old boy. Understanding Naruto's dream to become the best, she promised her son that she would help him on his way there. It wasn't until then Naruto grinned big at her, hugged her, and called her _mom_ again.

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**To Be Continued**


	2. Push the Limits: I

**A/N:** Not proof-read yet. Don't forget to check out the sister-story!

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**Untouched: ****The Cross of Change**

**Written by Venerate**

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**Push the L****imits: Part I**

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_Eight Years Later..._

Blond hair, blue eyes. The ruffled hair had a yellow hue, making the colour even more noticeable. His eyes were surrounded by bright eyelashes, but they were hardly what one noticed first. The blue colour was unusual, reminding of a mix between oceanic depth and heavenly width.

He wasn't very tall. He was shorter than most males in his ballet class, but he had long legs and a narrow waist. However, his well-toned body figure took away the attention anyone held to his height. He was incredibly flexible, since he had been a ballet dancer since the age of eight. He was by no means girly-looking – while his movements during dancing might have held a feminine touch, his wild personality made up for it.

Happy. Beautiful, graceful. A bit clumsy when he wasn't paying attention. A supportive, stubborn mother; the potential and the possibility to become a star; determined to become the best ballet dancer in history. With this dream in mind, it wasn't long before it turned out the way it had.

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Uzumaki Naruto walked quickly over the street, forgetting yet again to look for cars. He was humming on his favourite song as he walked up to the white fence, not bothering to open the gate, and instead jumping over it in one swift movement. The grass he landed on was soft and green under his feet, and he almost dropped his over-filled bag. He managed to get a hold of it before his belongings scattered over the lawn.

The white front door was open, and he walked in without taking off his shoes. "Hello!" he yelled out, knowing that he wouldn't get a reply, as his mother was always busy when he got home from his ballet class. She had picked up a new hobby, yet again, and was now absorbed in the art of photography. He dumped his bag on the hardwood floor before kicking off his worn sneakers.

He entered the kitchen, opening one of the white cupboards to get a glass. He was thirsty; the summer heat and his practice making him lose water in every possible way. As he filled the glass with water, he looked over the fridge. Kushina put up his weekly schedule there every Monday so that they both would remember. He couldn't help but sigh loudly for no one to hear.

Practice, practice, a performance with his club, practice, medical check-up, practice, practice, visit his father.

He scrunched his nose at the last part. He didn't want to go to Minato this Saturday. He had better things to do, like preparing for the show on Sunday. He hadn't met his father in two weeks – the old man could wait another week, couldn't he? Naruto highly doubted that he would get to see much of Minato anyway, if he decided to go to there.

There was a soft knock on the door, and Naruto put down the now empty glass on the counter. He exited the kitchen, opening the front door for the ever punctual Umino Iruka. Naruto grinned big at the brown-haired man, glad that his teacher was there to keep him company. "Hello, Iruka-sensei!"

"Good afternoon, Naruto," Iruka said with a smile. "Are you ready?"

* * *

The week went on, Naruto following the schedule that his mother had put on the fridge. Practice, practice, visiting the doctor for the ankle he sprained two months ago. He healed amazingly fast, though, and the doctor only gave them happy news. They celebrated it by going for a dance show the same night, and Naruto didn't have to attend to his classes the same day.

Naruto was being home-schooled, by Iruka. He had been since he was very young, and had never attended a real school. He was sixteen years old now, and he had heard Iruka and Kushina argue about it last year. Iruka wanted him to go to high school, while Kushina refused.

If Naruto went to a 'real' school – public or private – it would prevent him from train and perform whenever he wanted. Being home-schooled gave him the privilege of deciding when to have his classes – that way; it didn't clash with his ballet dancing.

Saturday came, and he was currently staring at the tall gates before him. He had said to Kushina that he wanted to practice instead of going to Minato, but she had been awfully stubborn about it this time. His bag was slung over his shoulder, filled with the clothes he would wear tomorrow at the performance, and things he needed for his sleepover at his father's place.

He took a few steps forward, stepping into the security camera's vision, waving with an awkward smile on his face. There was a buzz, and the gates slowly opened. He walked inside of the huge stone walls that surrounded Namikaze Minato's mansion.

It was quite beautiful, Naruto had to confess. Victorian styled, with a colourful garden and heavy security. Yet, it lacked the feeling of safety. If Naruto got to decide, he would rather sleep in the ballet studio than here.

The huge doors opened before he was even close to them, and a huge male came out. He was at least twice as big as Naruto, with long, white hair and a big grin on his face. "Naruto!" he boomed, his voice carrying a tone that Naruto didn't recognise.

"Jiraiya!" He tried to boom back, but failed miserably as his voice wasn't nearly as strong as his Godfather's was. "What's up, pervert?"

Jiraiya put a big hand on Naruto's shoulder, almost making the blond boy topple over. His other hand grabbed Naruto's bag as if it weighed nothing, and practically pushed the teen inside of the entrance hall. "Perhaps you will get your father to stop working for a while, _ne_?"

Naruto highly doubted it, but didn't protest as Jiraiya led him up the marble stairs. Naruto didn't know his way around here too well, as he only visited once or twice a month, and when he arrived, he mostly spent time with Jiraiya anyway. It really didn't matter, but his mother insisted.

There was some kind of scent – clinically clean, expensive lemon – hanging in the air, and Naruto wasn't so sure that he appreciated it.

They walked through another hall, and then Jiraiya opened the door that led to Minato's office. Naruto was pushed inside, and Jiraiya disappeared without a word. Naruto was about to get out of the bright workroom, not ready to face his father, but the door had already been closed before him.

"Naruto?"

Naruto's eyes widened comically, and he slowly turned around again. By the desk sat an older version of himself, blue-eyed and blond. Minato offered a tired smile, and Naruto tried to smile back. The grin on his face somehow turned into a grimace. He wasn't in the mood to deal with his father at the moment, but it was mostly for himself and for his mother that he even showed up.

"Mom says hello, and stuff." Naruto squirmed, feeling uneasy under his father's narrow gaze. The older man seemed a little annoyed, but perhaps he was just confusing it with lack of sleep. Those purple bags under his father's eyes didn't look healthy.

"Have you lost weight, Naruto?" Minato stood up, sounding honestly concerned. The office chair gave a little squeak when the weight had been lifted off of it. Naruto refrained from backing away, frustration gnawing on the back of his mind. It seemed that his father couldn't understand _anything_.

"I had to, for the performance in a month. I need to be as light as possible when Neji lifts me," he tried to explain. However, if Minato's angry face was any indication, the other didn't realise how important it was.

"Then that Neji-boy should just get some muscles. There was nothing wrong with the way you looked last time we met."

Naruto glared, his blue eyes sparkling with every emotion he felt. "You don't understand. This has nothing to do with appearances – I need to _weigh_ less._ Jesus_." Almost pulling at his own hair, Naruto stormed out of the office. He didn't care if Minato didn't get a chance to explain his reasoning; he didn't care if Minato didn't understand.

His mother understood. If she hadn't, then she wouldn't have helped him cook the terrible food that he was eating to loose weight at the moment. She even ate it with him, to make him feel better. His father didn't want to realise that this was his life now, no matter if the mayor wanted a place in it or not.

Naruto couldn't help but sigh when he heard the door close behind him, a sign that his father wouldn't bother with reassuring him that he cared. Sometimes, Naruto could clearly see why his mother and father had separated.

* * *

Naruto woke up early the next morning, shifting in the big bed, trying to fall asleep again. He didn't want to face his father just yet. After their fight yesterday – rather 'Naruto yelling at his father' – they hadn't spoken. It was no surprise, for Minato was too busy with his own life. He was unused to have guests over, and had forgotten how to treat them.

At least, that was what Kushina said every time Naruto opened his mouth to complain.

Naruto had eaten dinner with his Godfather, Jiraiya. They didn't get along very well, since Jiraiya was a pervert. Naruto wasn't very fond of perverts; he and the ballet club's manager didn't get along too well. Ebisu was a demanding closet pervert. Then again, Jiraiya wasn't as reliable as Ebisu was. Therefore, Naruto preferred his ballet teacher to his Godfather. To be honest, he disliked everyone in the house he was currently sleeping in.

He sat up, giving up his failing attempts on going back to sleep. Rubbing sleep out of his eyes, he tried to find one person he liked in the mansion. He normally didn't dislike other people – he could see the good in _anyone_. It was just... this wasn't his home. This wasn't where he belonged, and he disliked his father greatly for forcing him to come over.

He got out of the big bed, stumbling clumsily as he tried to get to the bathroom.

There had been a time when Naruto wanted to be just like his father. Popular with amazing social skills; successful within everything he decided to do; determined. However, Minato wasn't near as stubborn as Kushina, nor was he as lively. Naruto had gotten much of his mother's personality, he knew.

When he stepped into the shower, he forced himself to think of something else. The performance today. He would have to leave in two or three hours to get to the theatre where the show would be held. Then they would rehearse one last time.

He felt a bit nervous, as he always did. Would he screw up? Would it be perfect? Would everyone show up, or would the show be cancelled?

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Once he arrived to the big theatre, having been driven there by his father's chauffeur, and saw his mother, he felt a little more like himself. The tension in his body would soon be worked off, and his mother offered him a kind smile. Naruto knew that he could count on his mother – they were best friends, after all.

"Naruto!"

Naruto spun around on the black-painted stage, a grin on his face as Ebisu ran up to him. He was already dressed in his proper clothes, the black fabric a second skin over his lean body. "Yes, pervert?"

Ebisu scoffed at the insult, using his middle-finger to prop up his sunglasses further up on his pale nose. "Hinata fainted again!"

Naruto rolled his oceanic blue eyes, wondering if Hyuuga Hinata would ever stay conscious during their shows. Last time, she fainted in the middle of an act when he was alone on stage with her. "You can't wake her up?"

"No, silly," Ebisu said. "You know she won't be able to dance after fainting. She becomes all red and stuff."

Ebisu had a tendency to be a bit cruel to his students and Naruto had a tendency to be a bit cruel to his club manager. They both had a tendency to get into fights with each other. Their teacher, Anko, was often forced to keep them apart during practice.

"You can't be asking me _again_!" Naruto took a step back, the swift movement of red behind him telling that he couldn't take any more steps without winding up in the curtain. It had happened before.

"C'mon, Naruto!" Ebisu looked stressed out, even though Hinata fainting wasn't unusual. It happened very often when she held one of the leading roles. It just had to be today, when she played the female main role, and he played the male main role. He was the only one that knew her steps. "You can take her place easily. I know you've got her steps memorised!"

"That's unfair!"

There was two seconds of silence, Ebisu arching an eyebrow. They all knew that the manager couldn't care less. "It's settled then. You'll take Hinata's place and her cousin will take yours."

Naruto always found it creepy that Hyuuga Neji, Hinata's older cousin, memorised all the dancers' steps. It didn't matter if the dancer only partook in one tiny scene – Neji had a freaky skill to learn and memorise everything. Often, Naruto was jealous of that skill.

"Well, I still thinks that it's unfair," Naruto said childishly.

Ebisu snorted, walking off the scene to let the ballet teacher continue the rehearsal. Naruto glanced down from the stage, seeing his mother on the front row of cosy chairs. The shade of her red hair clashed horribly with the fabric of the chair, but Naruto didn't care when she smiled at him.

"Do your best, Naruto!" she said happily. Naruto knew that if he disappointed her, she would sulk for weeks. Of course, so would he. "I'll be back in a minute, darling. I need to get my camera!"

He nodded in understanding, returning to the chaos that was their last rehearsal before the premier. He sighed, wondering if he could use this against Ebisu and that way, he would be allowed to take part of the contest in Shanghai next year.

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Nervousness. It tingled in his very being, making his mind go numb. Soon, so soon, the murmurs of the audience would quiet down and he would make his first entrance. As the leading role. That was nothing unusual. Nevertheless, he had yet to get used to playing the female parts. It wasn't the first time for him to replace Hinata, and he was sure that it wasn't the last. He was quite secure in himself and his sex, though he wished that it wouldn't have to be tried like this.

"Any minute now," Neji murmured in his ear.

Naruto looked over his shoulder at the taller, older teen. Neji's long hair was in a strict ponytail, his strong body covered by black fabric. He was, as always, very elegant. Naruto was happy that he got to dance with Neji in this, even though it wasn't originally planned. It could've been worse – Ebisu could have made him dance with Rock Lee.

That would have been a nightmare. Not to say that Lee wasn't skilled. He was very good at the ballet. He was reliable, and very enthusiastic. However, it was the very same enthusiasm that made him a bit...scary.

Neji held out his hand, which was much larger than Naruto's own. Naruto fought down a blush, wondering what was wrong with his hormonal body. Neji smiled at him, as if knowing. Naruto put on a grin. "Ready?"

"Ready."

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Sweating, panting, laughing. Naruto's grin was wide as he made it to the changing room, ready to shower and change. Of course, there was only two showers backstage, meaning that they were all taking turns after the stretching. The girls were first off, as they tended to take more time to dress and put on make-up after the shower.

Ebisu walked up to Naruto, a note pad in his hand. "Naruto," he said in his nasal voice. "Anko-sensei took some notes on your and Neji-kun's performance. Read them over before you go home."

"Sure," he said and accepted the note pad Ebisu handed him. He glanced at Neji's paper when Ebisu had disappeared into the mass of ballet dancers. He noticed that their teacher had said that Neji faltered a little during the _tombé_.

Naruto scoffed, wondering if the faulty had been seen by anyone else. He didn't want to be seen on a stage with someone flawed. Of course, Naruto understood. He and Neji had only had one day to get into their new roles, and even though they knew the steps, it was hard. He knew that his own paper contained even more – _worse _– mistakes.

Anko had always been a little harder on him. Why, he couldn't understand. Why, he didn't know. To be honest, he wasn't sure that he wanted to know why his ballet teacher was so harsh on him. She was a bit creepy at times.

"The showers are free for you guys now!"

Naruto looked up from the papers in his hand at the sound of a fellow ballet dancer's voice. TenTen was standing there, her towel wrapped around her head and already sloppily dressed in her favourite brown sweatpants and a black t-shirt. He grinned at her, and she chuckled.

"Move your ass, Naruto! Don't have all day, y'know."

"Yeah, yeah," he answered and gave her Neji's paper. "Give that to Neji, ne?"

She didn't reply as he walked into the small changing room, empty save for Rock Lee. Lee was busy with getting out of his tight spandex outfit, and didn't notice the blond male's entrance. Instead of saying anything, Naruto just slipped out of his black clothes, stuffing them in his bag, wrapping a towel around his hips.

Lee was too busy fighting his clothes to notice how Naruto slipped into the showers, ready to get clean from sweat and any kind of dirt that had been on the stage. He almost dropped the soap in his hand when Lee entered, obviously coming out as the victor of his fight with the spandex suit.

"Naruto-kun!" Lee smiled widely. "I didn't notice you, my friend!"

"Hi, Lee," Naruto said awkwardly. Lee had a tendency to be a little too close for his liking. Hugs were great – Naruto had nothing against body contact – but not when they both were _naked_. Trying to shield himself with the soap bottle, he looked anywhere but on Lee. It would only add to the discomfort.

"Finally I get the chance to tell you that you did a great job today! I haven't seen such _beauty_ since you danced with Hinata-chan during the Swan Lake-play!"

Personally, Naruto thought that it hadn't been that beautiful. Lee was exaggerating again. Trying to keep a low profile, he mumbled through pouting lips, "Thanks, Lee. You were good too."

"Thank you!"

Uneasy silence followed, since Naruto didn't want to pick up another conversation with Lee, and Lee was busy washing his glossy, black bowl-cut. Water smattered against their naked, tired bodies; against the floor. Naruto's wet hair got in his eyes, but he didn't mind.

His body would be aching tomorrow, he thought with a smile. Iruka would have his head if he complained during their lessons, but he knew that it wouldn't stop him from whining.

After the quick shower, he got dressed. The grey sweatpants he always wore after performances fitted him perfectly, as always. A yellow t-shirt with SpongeBob Squarepants clung tight to his body, as it wasn't really his shirt. It belonged to Sarutobi Konohamaru, a ten-year-old that followed him around everywhere. Naruto tended to steal Konohamaru's shirts, since they all carried such lovely prints.

"Nice belly shirt, Naruto."

A chuckle followed, and Naruto turned around to look at his teacher. She was leaning against the door frame, her arms crossed over her chest. A mocking smirk was on her pale face, but he knew that she didn't mean to hurt his feelings. At least he hoped so.

"I like your shirt as well, sensei," Naruto replied with a smile, putting on a sweatshirt. "A shame that someone puked on it."

Anko glared at him, ignoring his comment about her colourful shirt. It was obvious that she had dressed up for the show, since she normally only wore dark clothes. "You got my notes, brat?"

"Yep," he answered and picked up his bag. He walked out of the changing room, Anko in tow. They walked out of the backstage area, finding Kushina sitting on the stage with her camera. "Anything else, sensei?"

"You have tomorrow off. I promised one of my_ friends_ an interview with you. He's doing some reportage about lifestyles or something. He'll drop by tomorrow afternoon." Anko patted him on his back, giving him a creepy smile before returning backstage.

Naruto sat down next to Kushina, who was rummaging around in her bag. Once she found the banana she had been searching for, she handed it to her son. "Here, eat this."

"Thanks." Naruto grinned, peeling the yellow fruit with expertise, as Kushina wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "Did you get any pictures?" Naruto asked around the piece of banana in his mouth.

"Some really good ones. They're going straight to the website!" She put down the camera in its camera bag, preparing to stand up, saying, "Let's go home, darling."

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**To Be Continued**


	3. Push the Limits: II

**Untouched****: The Cross of Change**

**Written by Venerate**

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**Push**** the Limits: Part II**

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"Naruto!"

Naruto rolled over in his bed, groaning loudly into his pillow. All his covers were in a heap on the floor, but he didn't mind the loss at all. During these summer nights it got way too hot for his liking. Curling up into a small ball, he wished that his mother would just stop calling for him.

Naruto got out of bed. He almost fell over the covers, but managed to regain his balance. With the speed of a snail, Naruto did his business in the bathroom and got dressed in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. On his way downstairs, he found a sweatshirt on the floor. He picked it up, not really recognising it this early in the morning, and put it on as he continued his journey to the kitchen.

When he got there, Kushina was waiting impatiently. She gave him a stern look before turning towards the counter, preparing some oatmeal for them both. "It's ten o'clock already. I thought you'd like some breakfast before we take a morning jog. It's almost sunny today!"

Naruto merely snorted as he sat down by the kitchen table, grabbing a glass and the carton of diet milk presented in front of him. He preferred this weather, and couldn't help but feel eager for the day to start. It felt good to know that he was going to spend it almost entirely with his mother.

* * *

Kushina sighed deeply, stretching on her place in the grass. She was lying in their backyard, the sun settling calmly behind the other houses. Naruto was lying next to her, on his stomach, picking at the green lawn, restless as always.

"How about some dinner, ne?"

Naruto glanced at his mother, grinning widely at her suggestion. Her red hair would be filled with tiny insects and grass when she got up. She was incapable of holding a straight face when her son was looking so happy, a warm smile sneaking onto her features. She sighed again, thinking about the horrendous food that she would have to cook for her son yet another evening.

"Last one inside is a rotten fish!"

Naruto got up on his feet to rush inside, but Kushina gripped his ankle and pulled him down on the ground. He let out a yell, and Kushina let out a warrior scream as she ran towards the backdoor. Naruto crawled a few meters before getting up and outrunning his mother.

When they got inside the kitchen, Kushina slumped down by the table. She exhaled deeply, an open smile on her face as Naruto looked through the cupboards for something edible. There weren't a lot of things to snack on for a teenage boy, but mostly different nutrition powders to put in smoothies and other fluent foods.

He heard his mother unzip her camera bag and pick it up. The camera had a permanent spot on the window sill, but nowadays it was used almost non-stop. He threw a glance over his shoulder, holding up his hand in the international peace-sign, and struck a pose for the photographer. There was no flash, but the light that seeped inside from the calm sun outside was enough to make a bright photo.

"We really have to go through all the pictures and put them in an album or something. I want to take down all the pictures on my website."

"Why's that?" Naruto asked, making a small jump to grip the jar of tea on the top shelf. "You've put a lot of work on it with that PR-guy you dated, right? You spend a lot of time putting up photos, and now you want to take it down? Sounds stupid to me."

Kushina nodded, merely humming to herself as she played with her favourite toy. When it was in her hands, her green eyes tended to see everything through the lens.

"_Mom._ You didn't answer my question!"

Kushina looked up, blinking. "Oh, yeah, sorry. There's been this frequent visitor that's been submitting odd comments lately. You know, dirty old men trying to figure out where you go to school. I'm just silly, really. Most comments are positive."

Naruto fidgeted slightly upon hearing that there were people commenting on his mother's photographs of _him_. It was slightly disturbing, but he had nothing against the limelight. However, they were supposed to comment on the light and such photograph-things, not ask about his phone number.

"Ne, Naruto... While I still remember it," Kushina spoke up. Naruto, having prepared tea for both of them, turned to face her. "Minato called this morning."

The young blond scrunched his nose, wondering what his father wanted. It was very rare that Minato bothered to call his child and ex-wife. Expectations never came from his father, so Naruto had long since learnt not to expect anything either.

Naruto knew that he wasn't as close to his father as most, but he felt privileged to have such a caring mother. He only knew one other that had divorced parents, and that was TenTen. Her father lived in China, but despite the long distance between them, TenTen met her father more often than Naruto met his own, who lived only a few kilometres away.

Sitting down in front of his mother, placing the tea cups on the table and pouring them hot water, Naruto decided that his mother was doing a great job on raising him on her own. Had Minato still been in the picture, Naruto wouldn't be allowed to train as much as he did at the moment. Naruto was, more than often, glad that Minato was out of their lives.

"What are you thinking of, sweetie?"

Naruto grimaced upon being called 'sweetie', but decided to answer anyway. "Minato."

"Don't call him that," Kushina reprimanded half-heartedly. "He wanted you to call him back when you had the time, he said. He wouldn't say what he wanted to talk to you about, though. I think it might be about Jiraiya. He's going for another journey in a week or so."

"If Jiraiya wants to say goodbye to me before going on his stupid trip, why don't he come over and tell me so?" Naruto clenched his fist under the table, trying to hide his frustration. "He shouldn't tell Minato to call me just because he's a coward."

"Don't speak about Jiraiya like that. Would you rather have him leaving without a word?"

Naruto shrugged, honestly not sure what he would prefer. He was pretty sure that he wouldn't miss Jiraiya during his absence as his Godfather's journeys were frequent. He was used to be alone with his mother, only seeing Iruka and the members of the ballet club. It wasn't as if he met the white-haired giant every day.

They wouldn't miss each other.

* * *

The days went by, almost unnoticed.

He studied with Iruka, but couldn't say that he actually learned anything. He trained with the other club members, but often stayed after with Neji to perfect whatever they had learned.

They weren't the best of friends, so to speak, but their body language spoke of romance and friendship. Of course, this was nothing new. As dancers they came intimate naturally – they danced together, they changed and showered together. Somehow, they simply had to become close. After having been in the same ballet club for so long, a bond _had to_ be formed. Spending hours and hours together, seeing each other so tired, so exhausted and focused.

It was the closest to friend Naruto had – not that he complained, for he didn't have time for such a thing as friends; he had to become the best of the best. So, when his cellphone started ringing – and it wasn't his mother's or Iruka's number on the screen, he was a bit confused.

Nevertheless, he answered it happily, "Hello?"

"_Yo, Naruto!" _

Naruto bit his lip, frowning in confusion. "Uuh… Who's this?"

"_It's me, Kiba. Inuzuka Kiba!"_ The rough voice was eager, as if having waited for this for a while.

"Oh, Tsume's son, right?" he questioned, unsure what Kiba would want with him. From all he knew, the brunet was attending Senju High School – the private high school that was praised for their sport teams. "What do _you _want?"

"_I was just h__earing if you were performing somewhere anytime soon, y'know? It'd be really cool to meet up afterwards. I have this friend that's a bit interested in watching something like that. You should meet him – a real catch and stuff." _

Naruto ignored the last part. It had been a long time ago since he was this confused. He hadn't met Kiba for a very long time. "Eh, well, yes... I think there are tickets left for this weekend..."

"_Awesome! Then we'll meet up this weekend, right? Don't book something after the show, then, right! So, yeah, we'll be waiting in the lobby for yah. Okay?"_

Naruto agreed, figuring that Kiba would only hang up if he showed any kind of rejection. "Sure. I'll see you then!"

"_Yeah, bye!" _

Naruto threw his phone on his bed, moving to change for a jogging round to the dance studio. It had been raining since this morning, but that didn't bother him. He knew that he was a bit late, but figured that if he ran, it didn't matter if he missed the warm-up. As he put on the clothes, he couldn't help but wonder.

Why would Kiba want to meet up after all these years?

They had barely seen each other since they were eight and Naruto started dancing. Was it Tsume's idea? Kiba's mother and Kushina perhaps thought it would be fun for them to see each other again. How had Kiba gotten a hold of his cellphone number?

Who was that 'friend' of Kiba's? From where Naruto stood, Kiba had always seemed to be interested in girls – as he had noticed when they were younger, and if Tsume's gossip was anything to listen to. Kiba was probably aiming to impress the other guy – his date? – by knowing one of the dancers. In Naruto's world, two teenage male 'friends' didn't go and watch _ballet_ unless it was a date. He knew that most teenagers were forced to come by their parents.

"Naruto!" came a yell from the kitchen.

"Yes?" he yelled back loudly.

"You're going to be late!"

Naruto threw a glance at his cellphone, his eyes widening at the time. "Shit!"

* * *

"Late! Late! You're late, you worm!"

Droplets of water flew as he was hit over the back of his head. Naruto yelped. Anko growled at him, shoving him into the dance studio. She had been standing in the hall, tapping her foot as she waited for him. He got out of his wet jacket and shoes, dropping the damp sweatpants and pulling off his equally soaked jumper, leaving him in nothing but his dry dancewear, as she pushed him into the studio.

The others were leaning against the barre attached to the wall, looking bored as TenTen was arguing with the pianist. Anko roared something, but Naruto was too busy to get on his ballet shoes. He wasn't bothered with leaving his clothes and bags everywhere, as the other club members were all used to his sloppiness.

"Naruto, Ebisu needs to speak with you. He's in his office." Anko gave Naruto a small shove, but the blond didn't lose his balance. "Hurry, hurry before he comes out and disturbs the lesson!"

Naruto got out of the studio, cursing lowly under his breath as he entered Ebisu's office. It was a big office, with a lot of book shelves, filled with papers, books and an air of isolation. The desk where Ebisu was seated was almost covered with piles of folders and opened envelopes. As the club manager, Ebisu had a lot of paperwork to do.

"You wanted to see me, pervert?" Naruto slumped down in one of the leather armchairs in front of Ebisu. He drew up his legs to his chest, his feet crossing by the ankles. Ebisu grimaced lightly upon seeing that the blond dancer's feet were on the seat of his armchair. Naruto offered a grin, not really worried what the old man had to say.

"Yes..." Ebisu threw the pen in his hand on the desk carelessly, fixing the sunglasses on his nose. He continued, his voice nasal, "I've received a couple of letters. I'm sure you know what kind of letters these are–"

"Re-really?" Naruto leaned forward, his feet coming down on the wooden floor with a soft sound. "Already?"

"Sit down, brat." Ebisu scoffed. "It shouldn't be a surprise that they're already here – it's a contest for the schools. Those who want you have to be alert."

"But it's a _year_–"

"And there are quite a few that have sent me letters. Take them home and show your mother. Kushina-san should come over here and have a meeting with me and the screaming bitch about this."

Naruto nodded, not really faced upon hearing Ebisu call Anko a 'screaming bitch' as it had been her title for months now. "Uhm, pervert... What schools wanted me, then?"

Ebisu tilted his head as he looked at the young dancer. He sighed, correcting his sunglasses once more as he reached for a bunt of envelopes. "Well, to be honest... There are a few that are located in Europe and America, but we shouldn't leave out the Asian schools just because the European ones are more famous. Since there were so many, I really think that we shouldn't rush and–"

"Europe?" Naruto scrunched his nose slightly, a grin forming on his face. "Wow..."

"And I guess that you would need to speak with your father as well."

The room seemed to become dead silent. Ebisu looked away, his nose sharp in profile. Naruto blinked before looking down in his lap. While the club manager and the blond ballerino weren't on the best terms, Ebisu knew what Naruto's relationship with the mayor looked like. It wasn't beautiful, so to speak.

The piano outside played a familiar piece. Naruto knew that the others were rehearsing for their next performance, next weekend. It was at the same place, the same show. Anko wouldn't accept anything but perfection as their first time had been great. The second was expected to be even better.

"Listen... Brat. Eh, Naruto..." Ebisu pushed up his sunglasses, squirming uncomfortably in his chair. "Tell both of your parents to come over here. Anko and I will make sure that your future will be nothing but what you want. I'm sure that Kushina–"

"Last time both of my parents were here, it ended up with a divorce. I don't want Minato even _close_ to her." A tone of protectiveness laced Naruto's usually loud voice, as if he was completely sure that his father would do nothing but harm. "I don't think so."

"It's either both of them here or nothing at all."

Naruto let out a frustrated sound, running both hands through his hair. "Then forget about it, you ass." With that insult, Naruto got up and out of the office. He slammed the door shut, leaving Ebisu alone. Still boiling inside, thinking of how _unfair _everything seemed at the moment, Naruto ran through the dance studio.

It was still raining.

He ignored Anko's calls after him, and TenTen's annoyed yell that he couldn't _just ditch them like that_. He picked up his sweater, but didn't bother to get his bag or sweatpants. He found his shoes by the entrance and grabbed them hurriedly.

Without looking over his shoulder, Naruto ran out of the building. Anko stopped by the door, yelling threats and obscenities for the world to hear. Naruto, used to her vulgar language, didn't even flinch as he tried to get out of his ballet shoes and into his sneakers.

"You get back here! _Now!_ You ungrateful piece of shit! Punishment! There will be punishment!"

Not really listening, Naruto finally got on both sneakers. He grabbed his dance shoes in his hand and started jogging away from the studio. He ran on the side walk, over the grocery store's parking lot and past Konoha Kindergarten. He knew that he probably looked silly. Then again, he thought that – perhaps – it would enlighten someone's day. After all, even though he was angry and pissed off, the world didn't stop spinning. Perhaps he would make someone laugh with his silly outfit.

It wasn't everyday Naruto ran through town in orange sneakers and a grey sweatshirt that said 'Konohagakure Ballet Club'. At least not without sweatpants. He looked down, sighing to himself. His long legs looked even thinner when only clad in black tights. Even so, Naruto was still too heated to really care. If anything, he felt irked that his muscles weren't as prominent as Lee's or Neji's.

He ran down the stone stairs that lead to the train station. Normally, he would either walk home or call for Kushina to come and get him. Yet, he was thinking clearly enough to know that walking home would make him sick. If he was ill, he wouldn't be allowed to practice. And he was too angry to be around people that would want to speak with him.

Taking the train was the best solution.

He bought a ticket, glad that his wallet hadn't fallen out from his sweater during his jog to the train station. He ignored the chuckles and whispers that followed him, whispers of homosexuality and other prejudices of the ballet, knowing that he too would have laughed on any other day.

As he made it inside the right train, he sat down next to an old lady and her dog. He glanced down on the furry beast, but it didn't acknowledge him. Three stations and he would be at home, hopefully a little calmer.

The world was just too unreasonable. Ebisu was behaving stupidly, even though he knew that Naruto's father disliked his passion for ballet. Minato would never let Naruto travel any further – at least not outside Japan – to perfect his dancing. He would do anything to stop Naruto from advancing his ballet skills, even going so far to tell Ebisu and Anko that he didn't want Naruto to attend such a school _at all_.

The old lady next to him coughed, and Naruto looked away from her, his blue eyes skimming the train. It wasn't packed, as it was only noon. Most were working or studying. It didn't bother him. It didn't bother him that he didn't go to school, like everyone else. It didn't bother him that the adults looked at him, wondering if he was skipping class and why he was wearing such a rebellious outfit.

It didn't bother him. That his life looked very different from others'. He didn't _care_. Perhaps, had he been anyone else, he would have felt alone. Then again, he was too busy to notice. He didn't care that the others in the ballet club – even though as passionate as Naruto – didn't go as far as he did. They attended the private school just outside Konoha, but always managed to be there for practice. There never were times to consider attending a 'real' school. No, not until he was attending a ballet school.

One that he needed both parents' acceptance to attend. One that wasn't in Japan. A prestigious school with tough rivals and great teachers. Perhaps in Europe, perhaps one in Russia or China. Somewhere were he would _belong_, where he wouldn't be the only one giving his entire being for this art form.

Where he wouldn't be alone.

* * *

Konohagakure no Sato was a big city. It had a lot of shops and stores in centrum; there was always something for someone. In centrum, they had big grocery store that Naruto hated with all his heart. It was huge, there were a lot of people and it was _huge_.

He couldn't count on his fingers how many times he had gotten lost in here.

The worst part wasn't that he had gotten lost plenty of times, but that it _still_ happened. It didn't matter that they went here once a month, he still couldn't remember where everything was or where the aisles went. It was horrible, since he was lost yet again.

He sighed, remaining calm and annoyed. He refused to find a staff member and tell them that he had been separated from his mother (again). She had told him to go and get some pasta for their Italian night with one of Kushina's friends, and then said that she would go and get some toothpaste.

He groaned loudly, making the man passing him stare. Naruto stared back, acting childish. He hadn't been in a good mood to begin with, and now his mother was gone. He turned around, walking down an aisle with his hands in his pockets. He was still thinking; thinking so hard it almost hurt.

Not about his troubles to find Kushina, but if he should tell her.

She would be so happy. So happy to hear that her son had gotten a lot of letters from famous and expensive schools. Happy that scholarships were practically thrown at her son. She would call everyone she knew and tell them about the great news. She would also destroy everything by calling Minato. She would call his father, and they would talk.

They would talk, Kushina would sound happy and it would be smashed by none other than his father. He would ruin everything with his pessimistic ways of viewing ballet. He didn't understand.

"There you are!" Kushina laughed loudly, shaking her head at her son. "I don't know why I take you with me. You always slow me down."

Naruto grimaced at her, not really faking the aggravation. She sighed lightly, caressing his scarred cheek. Naruto's grimace disappeared, and he offered her a vague smile instead.

"Come on," she said. "Let's get this over with before they close."

"Yeah..."

They walked next to each other, Kushina keeping an extra eye on the blond teen as they resumed their shopping. Apparently, there were a lot of things they needed, and didn't need. Naruto didn't mind that they got a bit more than needed, as Minato sent them the money they were wasting.

"Oi, Naru, look at this!" Kushina dragged him and the cart with her, surprising him slightly with her strength. "It's the movie we talked about a few days ago, remember?"

"Yeah?" Naruto almost jumped up and down, reaching for it on the shelf. "Cool!"

Kushina laughed, and took the movie from her son, putting it among the groceries. "Want something to eat while we watch it?"

"Cucumber," Naruto answered absentmindedly as he gnawed on his lower lip. "What do you want? I'll go get it."

"Ah, I'll just have some cucumber as well," Kushina said half-heartedly. "I don't want you to get lost again, now when we're so close to the exit and all."

He pouted, but she only giggled in defence. Laughing, they made their way towards the cash register.

Kushina glanced at her boy, her green eyes filled with happiness as she paid for their groceries. He carried the majority of the bags, even though she had protested. In her eyes, he was still her little baby – he wasn't supposed to be able to carry all those bags by himself. Then again, he was as tall as she was, nowadays. He had grown up to become a beautiful boy.

The car ride was far from quiet. They sang along with the songs on the radio, completely off key. They sounded awful, yet they didn't notice. Naruto was able to forget, for the fifteen minutes it took to drive home, about his secret.

Of course, when the ride ended, and they were carrying the bags inside, Kushina deemed the time ready to speak about the one thing they had in common. Ballet.

"Ne, Naru, what time are you going to the studio? Would you like me to drive you?"

Naruto had met Anko yesterday, the day after his fight with Ebisu. She hadn't mentioned anything, but complained an awful lot about his absence. He expected awful punishment, having endured Anko's wrath too many times already.

"Yeah, I'll just get my stuff and change."

Kushina ushered him up the stairs while she picked up the groceries, putting them on the right places hurriedly. She didn't want her son to be late – otherwise, she would be asleep by the time he was allowed to go home. Anko could be quite extreme.

Naruto changed his clothes with practiced ease, fighting a bit to put his street clothes into his gym bag. Once everything was packed, he ran downstairs. Kushina was tapping her foot teasingly, her arms crossed over her chest. He jogged past her, beaming brightly.

"Remember to do your best – don't yell at Anko-sensei, and please, try to think of the others as well. You're not the only one who wants to learn something, y'know."

"Geez. Must you have these lectures every time you drive me there?" Naruto threw a glare out through the window, hiding his foul mood very well. Schooling his face, he changed the subject, "are you coming tomorrow?"

"For the show? Of course, honey," Kushina assured with a sweet smile. "I have a few errands before, so I'll show up just when it starts. I'm sure Neji-kun can give you a pep-talk." She waggled her eyebrows, and Naruto pouted. "Gah, I'm just kidding. So sensitive."

"I'm not sensitive," Naruto huffed. He decided to change the subject hurriedly before his mother disagreed with him. "I'll walk home if I'm late."

"Okay. Just make sure not to get hit by a car. You're not visible in the dark, my love."

"I'm not _stupid_, mom." Naruto gripped his bag tighter, uncomfortable with the earlier comment. Pointing at the side of the road, he said, "You can stop here. Maybe she'll go easier on me if she thinks I walked here."

The car came to a halt a hundred meters from the building. Kushina patted his back as he opened the door and climbed out. His sneakers scraped against the asphalt, walking slowly towards the entrance. He didn't bother to glance over his shoulder to see his mother drive away in her red kombi.

He got inside, kicking off his shoes and sneaking inside the changing room before anyone noticed him.

Putting on the black tights and a taut, orange t-shirt, he entered the studio. There were two men there, and they stopped talking when they noticed his presence. The young man immediately jogged over to the piano, ready to play as soon as the other demanded him to. Maito Gai could be pretty scary.

Naruto had seen Neji's and Lee's bags in the changing room, but they didn't seem to be here. Anko was nowhere in sight either. Naruto shuddered – he wasn't too fond of the tall, green clad man. In fact, no one but Lee seemed to understand Gai.

"What are you doing here?" Naruto asked rudely, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Naruto-kun! I heard that you have been a naughty boy. I'm here to show you back to the path of youth and spring!"

Naruto stared as Gai spun around in a flawless pirouette. "You're here to punish me, right?"

Gai smacked his tongue at the word, putting his big hands on his hips. "Only if you see it that way, young boy. It is all about perspective!"

"Yeah, whatever." Naruto shrugged, not on the mood to deal with Gai's loud ways.

"Let's limber up, son!"

Naruto did as Gai said. While Naruto found the punishment unfair – Ebisu had been the one to provoke him – he would take it like the man he was. He didn't complain (aloud) and did everything the dark-haired man shouted at him. It wasn't the practice that was the punishment, even though Gai was extreme and without limits, but his mere presence.

"You can do it better! Think of how the sunshine reaches your eyes each morning and how you want to embrace it! Embrace the beams, Naruto-kun, embrace them!"

And embrace them, he did. Maito Gai left the dance studio with tears of joy in his eyes.

* * *

**To Be Continued**


	4. Invisible Love

Been in India for a few weeks, but I'm back now. I must admit that watching 'Black Swan' yesterday did nothing good to my self-esteem, but it did indeed leave me with a meh-feeling towards UCC and its sister.

This isn't proof-read at all.

* * *

**Untouched: The Cross of Change**

**Written by Venerate**

**

* * *

**

**Invisible Love**

**

* * *

**

Naruto's face was twisted in an ugly grimace of pain by the time he reached the kitchen table the next morning. His body ached, a numbing and throbbing soreness running through his limbs with every move. It wasn't an unfamiliar feeling, but it had been a few weeks since Naruto had been allowed to train on anything besides the show that he had been performing for a period now.

Their last show was tomorrow.

"Iruka-sensei is in the living room." Kushina entered the kitchen, dressed in jeans and a yellow raincoat. Her long hair seemed to have taken a shade of venetian red from the rain outside. "There is one of those disgusting smoothies in the fridge."

"Thanks," Naruto mumbled. He felt as if his eyes were glued together, but he fought to keep them open. It really was too early, in his opinion. He got up, his body screeching in protest, and walked over to the fridge. He took one of the water bottles and the big glass with mint green liquid. He didn't like these smoothies, but was more than willing to drink them.

Anko and Kushina had, with help from Ebisu, found him a dietician a few months ago. The dietician, Shizune, a bland person with a lot of education, came over once in a while to check up on Naruto's diet and improve it. It was strict and highly adapted to Naruto's way of living. It made Naruto energetic and happy, making his stamina never-ending and his will even stronger.

Amazing what food could do to ones body.

"Naruto! I'm waiting!"

Iruka sounded impatient, and Naruto took a gulp from the smoothie before heading towards the living room. The TV was turned off, and a few books littered the coffee table. Naruto frowned. Mathematics. He really didn't get maths – he probably never would, either.

"Glad to see that you're up. How are you doing, Naruto?" Iruka patted the empty space in the sofa next to him. Naruto sat down, putting away the smoothie in favour of drinking the water.

"I'm slowly dying!" the blond boy said dramatically. Iruka only smiled.

"I see. Perhaps that will make you sit still for a while then, ne? Do you remember where we stopped last time? We're still working on the algebra, aren't we?"

Naruto absently thought that it was Iruka's job to remember those things, but nodded anyway. He glanced down on the papers that littered the table. He kept the groan inside, and grabbed the pen Iruka offered him.

"I want this page finished before we take a break. C'mon, Naruto, you can do it." Iruka sounded annoyed, but Naruto didn't care. In his mind, the numbers mixed with each other and tangled in a knot of hopelessness. There was no chance that he could solve the math problem by just looking at it.

He doodled some numbers on the clean page, his skin burning out of embarrassment. He had yet to try, but knew that he would end up with failure. He inhaled deeply, his eyes narrowing in fake concentration. What was the point trying? He didn't _need _to know this.

"Naruto?"

The blond looked up, a hot blush covering his nose. He really didn't like being stupid. "I don't know how to do this, Iruka-sensei." _I don't even understand why I'm still trying. _

"Don't whine, Naruto," the man scolded lightly. He sighed, pointing at the math problem with his index finger. "See this? First, you need to figure out what _x_ means."

"Thirteen?"

Iruka stared, wondering what went wrong. "Naruto, are you even looking?"

"Of course I am!" Naruto leaned forward, staring at the numbers. "Oh... Twenty-seven."

"Yes; and this small number in the corner of the _y_, what does that mean?"

"That you...ehh... That it's not a _y_?" Naruto scratched the back of his head, a wrinkle forming between his eyebrows. The scent of cranberries easily distracted the teen, and Naruto glanced at Iruka's mouth. Chewing gum. Naruto would really like a chewing gum, but he had to settle with the minty smoothie.

"Naru... I really want you to pass. If you don't, it'll only take more time from your ballet. Try again. What did we talk about last lesson?"

With a look of complete and utter helplessness, Naruto fell back into the sofa and closed his eyes.

"I don't know."

* * *

The rain outside the studio had yet to calm down. The dancers were all lined up against the big windows, staring out on the grey city. It was hardly inspirational, and Naruto found his foul mood stuck. Iruka had been really disappointed with him yesterday, and Naruto found it hard to let go. Instead, he let his temper affect the others.

"Come on, maggots! It's just rain! We're going to be inside on our big, cosy scene and do what we do best!" Anko's cheering didn't help much, as the tone in her voice was threatening. They all already knew that they should shape up. The performance started in two hours.

Naruto looked over his shoulder when Ebisu entered the dance studio, a grin on his face and his sunglasses still present. He was holding a huge umbrella in one of his hands, his clothes dry. "Come on, my ballerinas and ballerinos! The bus is waiting for you!"

TenTen shrugged, apparently finished with sulking because of the weather. "Yeah, hurry up, guys."

Naruto grabbed his jacket and followed Neji out in the hall to put on his sneakers. Anko stayed, calling for Neji's cousin to stay as well. Naruto threw a questioning glance at Neji.

"Hinata needs some encouragement before we perform," the older boy explained. "She gets so awfully nervous."

Naruto nodded, his mind slowly adapting with the fact that he wasn't the only one with problems. He wasn't the only one struggling to become the best; he wasn't alone. It was a fact that was easy to forget. With a frown he snuck under Neji's umbrella as they walked outside towards the parking lot. The bus stood there, warm and waiting.

"How are you today, Naruto-kun? You have been very quiet." Neji folded the umbrella quickly, shaking it once or twice before entering the bus after Naruto. The blond danseur didn't bother answering, knowing that he would only end up saying something stupid. Then again, it didn't matter if Neji was angry with him or not.

The day couldn't become worse as it was anyway.

"Everyone here? Where's Lee? Lee!" Anko had entered, Hinata coming to sit on the other side of the isle. Naruto looked at her, and she turned into the colour of tomatoes. However, Naruto could see the beginning of a smile on her plump lips. He couldn't help but smile back.

"What do you mean 'forty-five minutes'?"

Naruto chuckled at Anko's and Ebisu's chorus. The poor bus driver crossed his arms, a grimace coming over his features as he continued, "well, I'm not going to rush in this weather! If you wanna drive, be my guest!"

Anko growled, but Ebisu pushed her further down the isle instead. She gave him the finger before walking over to one of the thin, dark-haired girls in the back and slumping down next to her. Ebisu stayed, a fake smile on his face, as he tried to discuss with the chauffeur. The bus driver chuckled, saying,

"You can't negotiate with the weather, Ebisu-san! You're only wasting time."

With a huff, the sunglass-wearing man walked down the isle to sit alone and sulk. Naruto snickered at the immature grimace on Ebisu's face. Neji gave him a small push with his shoulder, shaking his head at Naruto's glee.

"Why are you laughing? We are losing time to practice at the theatre." Neji sounded honestly confused, and Naruto rolled his eyes in annoyance.

"We've been performing this show for, like, _ages_, Neji. I think I can remember what the stage looks like."

Neji didn't respond, but instead decided to look out through the window. "The rain is dampening everyone's mood. It is too bad that we are letting it affect us."

"Yes, very," Naruto agreed half-heartedly. He leaned down and opened his orange duffel bag, picking up his cellphone and ear buds, inhaling the heavy air in the cramped bus before putting the buds in his ears and turning on some music on his phone. Some new, popular song started playing; guitars, drums and bass, a young man singing about a perfect girl he met last week.

The bus hummed to life, the soft seats vibrating slightly. Naruto closed his eyes, the bus moving forward. He could rest for forty-five minutes, and hopefully wake up as his usual, cheery and motivated, self.

* * *

Naruto was sweating. The black tights around his legs seemed even tighter as his smooth skin had turned damp from all the sweat. He looked out over the audience, his grip around Hinata's waist faltering slightly when he couldn't spot his mother in the first row. His chest heaved up and down against her back, and she breathed along with him.

A harsh blush was spreading over her glossy cheeks, but Naruto enjoyed the attention. A huge grin appeared out of nowhere, despite his previous foul mood. He would tell his mother about the school invitations tonight, while she was putting up pictures of this evening's performance on her blog. He would get Kushina to talk to Ebisu, and the closet pervert would then discuss the future _without_ Minato.

"N-Naruto-kun?"

"Huh? Oh, uh, sorry."

He let go of her waist, and she gently took a step forward. Her Pointe shoes clonked softly against the scene floor. As the rest of the dance club entered the stage, he walked up next to her. Applauds echoed, the sound bouncing against the walls and the ceiling. A loud whistle reached Naruto's ears, and his grin widened. It was probably his mother.

Naruto waved as he walked off the stage, following the others. He almost crashed into TenTen, but managed to take a step back as the curtains were drawn together behind them.

"Are you coming with us to celebrate, Naruto?" she asked.

"I'd love to, but some guy I knew when I was a kid call–"

TenTen laughed loudly, shaking her head so that the small buns of hair shook. "If you rather spend time with your mother, we totally understand. Just say so, moron! No need to make up lies."

Naruto opened his mouth to protest, but a cold hand brushed against his shoulder. He looked up, squinting slightly to see in the dark. The only light came from the exit signs and the stage lamps, which were pointed out on the exiting crowd.

"Oh, _you_. What do you want, closet pervert?"

Ebisu didn't yell at him. Naruto tilted his head somewhat, wondering what was wrong with the man. Ebisu always reacted badly on being accused of being a pervert. Instead, the manager sighed deeply before speaking, regret in his voice,

"Naruto... There's been an accident."

* * *

Naruto couldn't speak. His mouth opened and closed, but not a single word crawled up his throat. The sweaty odour that came from the changing room clogged his airways, making it incredibly hard to breathe. His body felt hot and cold at the same time. His face was probably red from the performance, but a strange chill washed over his lithe form. He felt nothing but discomfort.

"I'm so, so sorry, Naruto..."

The blond dancer blinked, taking an awkward step back. The pressure behind his eyes got stronger and stronger, until he couldn't hold the tears back. They came, one by one at first. They ran down his red, heated cheeks. Some got stuck by his scars, getting lost on their road. The flow increased, and Naruto had to bite his lip to keep silent.

"Naruto–"

Naruto turned around and ran.

He completely forgot that he was only dressed in tights and a black shirt with embroider details. He didn't care about how _gay_ he must have looked by running in the ballet shoes. He didn't remember that it was pouring outside, and so ran out in the mass of people to hide from Ebisu. He pushed himself through the line that went to the lobby, and didn't stop until he reached it.

Most were standing by the coat check, wanting to get back their coats and furs. Naruto didn't hear them, and stopped for a second to scan the room. A few teenage boys were standing by the entrance, waiting. Even though Naruto's eyes were filled with tears, he could see pretty well.

One of them waved, but Naruto sped up again and pretended not to notice the teenagers. He could hear one of them question his tears as he passed, and he opened the golden entrance door to get outside. Not until he was out on the street did he realise that he couldn't get anywhere without a vehicle. He had no idea where to go either, but that was a later problem.

Not thinking, he held out his hand and waved to the cars, gesturing that he needed a ride. The cars passed slowly, driving carefully in the rain. Naruto thought that he could hear Ebisu calling after him; yelling, cursing, but it might as well have been his imagination.

A car finally stopped. It was a pick-up, but it was impossible to see what colour it had. Everything was grey, blue and blurry in the heavy rain. The water almost hurt as it poured over him. The blond male didn't mind, and he opened the passenger door to get inside. He didn't look at the driver, and instead closed the door and buckled up.

"Hi there."

The car started driving. It was loud, but the sound came from under water. The car was old and probably in need of some service, the seats vibrating as the engine fought to keep the vehicle moving.

Naruto realised what he had done, slowly, slowly. He closed his eyes, wishing that it hadn't been a man driving the car. Why not a woman? A woman with little kids in the backseat of a kombi? A part of him said that it would have been safer. Filled with uncertainty, Naruto let out a sob. Unconsciously, he pulled his legs up against his chest and leaned his forehead on his knees. His wet ballet shoes probably left dirt on the seat, yet Naruto only let out another sob, quickly followed by a nearly-mute whimper.

"Uhm...eh, where would you like to go? You're not hurt, are you?"

The man sounded a bit troubled, but Naruto couldn't register. Instead, Ebisu's voice filled his head. 'I'm so, so sorry, Naruto...'

A strange pain filled his chest: all he wanted to do was curse, scream, and kick. He wanted to break something valuable, only to think of something else. Anything else. He could see a car on the inside of his eyelids. It was toppled over, rain falling uninterrupted. He recognised the car.

"Where do you want me to drop you off? Kid? Oi, kid!"

The driver gave him a small shove, trying to catch his attention. Naruto opened his eyes, looking over at the young man. A thought, brief and short-lived, ran through his mind – he really had been unfair, judging the man that had stopped to offer him a ride. How unfair of him to judge someone who wanted to be nice; this man was not someone that wanted to sell him or touch him.

"The-the hospital," he forced out.

The other simply nodded, not pushing further. They drove in silence, the radio station telling them to be extra careful outside and urging them not to take the car. _A little too late now_, he thought.

* * *

Naruto was lying in his bed, his legs against his chest and his arms wrapped around a pillow. It was completely dark in the house, since no one had lit the lamps. Blue eyes stared straight forward, out through the window of his room. He saw rain. Water pouring down, making everything seem grey and dull.

He tried to think of something else. Anything. Anything else but the red kombi his mother drove wherever she went. Anything else but the red kombi toppled over, his mother inside. Anything but the panic that must have filled his mother as she lost control over her car.

Aquaplaning. Aquaplaning, they said.

His mother, speeding off on the wet roads as she realised that she was going to be late to his show. Speeding off, passing cars with that old vehicle of hers. Reaching the main road and pushing the car even further. Until she finally felt that, no matter how much she tried, she couldn't slow down. Realising that, no matter how much she wanted to, she couldn't steer. The steering wheel held as much use to steer as the camera on the passenger seat.

A low whine left his aching throat, dried tears on his scarred cheeks. He tried to tear his eyes from the window, but his head hurt too much. He had tried everything to escape from his thoughts. Cleaning his dirty room, watching TV, listening to the radio, making some food that he didn't want.

The last of his endless energy was reached when he tried to find the cabbage, only to realise that he and his mother were supposed to go to the nearby grocery store to get some for dinner. After that, he had collapsed in his room, on his bed.

Every fibre in his very being _hurt_. Everything ached – his throat, his head, his stomach, his feet and his fingers.

Not until he spotted a blurry silhouette climbing out of a car on the driveway did the pictures stop. The awful, awful pictures of his mother's red kombi. He recognised the gigantic statue, but didn't bother to get up. Whoever wanted to visit him could let themselves in.

The blond danseur listened as the guest made his way up the stairs. He glanced towards the open door, waiting a moment before seeing his Godfather entering. Upon the sight of Jiraiya, Naruto closed his eyes and threw the pillow on the floor. It fell to the floor with a soft _thud_, not far away from the bed.

"Oh, Naruto..."

Two giant hands soon gripped the lithe male on the bed, lifting him up. Naruto didn't protest when Jiraiya carried him. His arms wrapped around the thick neck, his face hiding in the hard chest. He let out a quiet sob, listening to his Godfather's low mumbles.

The rain pouring over them wasn't as disturbing as one might have thought, but Naruto simply didn't care how the clothes stuck to his body. Not until he was put in the backseat of Jiraiya's car did it become uncomfortable. His foggy mind registered how his damp clothes and skin got stuck to the leather seats, how the air condition was too cold and too clammy.

"It's okay now, kiddo, I'm taking you to your dad."

It didn't make Naruto feel any better at all. An empty feeling swirled in his stomach, and he embraced himself, clenching his eyes shut. It was hard to breathe. He didn't want to see his father – he wanted to go back home and lie in his bed. He wanted to lie there until his mother came and yelled at him for wasting the day in bed.

If he left, his mother would be worried. Kushina would yell at him for disappearing without telling her. Naruto felt panic arise in his stomach, and he tried to squirm his way out of Jiraiya's arms. He needed to stay here and wait for his mother!

He was too tired to resist fully, and when he was put in the backseat of the car, the smell of leather hanging in the air, he felt hope abandon him.

As Jiraiya put the car in reverse and backed out of the driveway, Naruto stared at the house. He wasn't coming back here, he was sure. He wasn't coming back, but that was okay.

Kushina wasn't coming back either.

* * *

**To Be Continued**


	5. Dreaming of Andromeda

**The Cross of Change**

**Written by Venerate**

* * *

**Dreaming of Andromeda**

* * *

Naruto could hear his father's voice. Even though his eyes were closed and he was hiding under the thick, warm comforter, he could hear Minato speak to someone outside of his bedroom. Instead of listening, however, the blond teen instead opted to bury his face into the pillow. Letting out a displeasured groan, he fisted the sheets and pulled wantonly.

He didn't feel like getting out of bed, but his typical restlessness was beginning to show. He shifted again, lying on his side, facing away from the door. His father was still talking, perhaps with a house cleaner or with Jiraiya. He hadn't actually seen his father or Jiraiya since he arrived, two days ago.

The only one who had entered his bedroom was the maid that came with food thrice a day. He hadn't touched the food, and so, she had always left with a full plate. He didn't want that kind of food – he didn't eat meat, but he couldn't really expect his father to know that. Naruto wondered if he had Shizune's phone number on his cellphone; in that case, he would have to tell her to come over with a new copy of his diet schedule for Minato.

Grunting, he rolled around until he hit the back of his head in the nightstand. Shivers of nauseating pain vibrated down his spine, and he cursed whoever had placed the piece of furniture so close to the bed. It certainly wasn't him, as he had learned long ago to keep the bedside table as far away as possible from himself when he was sleeping. The bruise that would now form there would be a silent, tender reminder of the fact that he didn't live here.

Minato's voice was now gone, and Naruto stretched under the covers, trying not to lean on the back of his head. His muscles felt stiff and clumsy, as he hadn't left the bed for anything else but visiting the bathroom. Even then, he hadn't been fully awake, his body walking and moving automatically. He just couldn't seem to find the will to _move_.

He looked to his left, blinking at the red, digital numbers that could be spotted through a peephole in his cave. He shifted again, poking his head out from under the covers to see what time it was more clearly. He had to check twice before realising that it actually was five minutes past four in the afternoon. Perhaps he should stay in bed until it became a more suitable time to wake up.

On the other hand, Naruto wasn't so sure that he would be able to lie still for much longer. He wasn't sleepy, although his mind was foggy and drained. He didn't want to think, not at all. It was, however, hard not to notice that the scent of the sheets was a completely other brand than the one Kushina used.

"Ugh…" He kicked the comforter off himself, stretching each muscle slowly as he practically fell off the mattress. The floor was rather warm, and he briefly registered that his father must have installed underfloor heating. The observation was immediately exchanged for another train of thoughts. He didn't smell all too good, and his stomach was churning.

Getting up from the floor, he felt a little light-headed. Trying to walk as straight as possible, he made it to the bathroom that was joint to his bedroom. Opening the cabinet over the faucet, he only found a lonesome toothbrush and toothpaste. With blurry sight, he read the words 'fresh spearmint taste!'

At home, his toothpaste had the distinct taste of watermelon.

Nevertheless, he decided that he needed to brush his teeth. The foam that appeared in his mouth upon using the spearmint-toothpaste was minty and unfamiliar. He didn't appreciate it, especially not after having been in bed without food for days. It tasted stale and strong.

Spitting, he rinsed his mouth with lukewarm water. He drank some of it, trying not to look into the mirror. He didn't want to think. Not at all – he wanted to go back to bed and sleep, sleep, sleep until he forgot about everything.

He forced himself to think of something else as he undressed for a shower. His father, ballet, what he wanted to eat. The shower was different from the one at home. Usually, he wouldn't compare his father's and mother's houses too much – it hurt; how different they had become. He knew, in the back of his head, that there had been a time when they had had the same detergent, that they had eaten the same kind of food. Kushina hadn't been a vegetarian back then.

As he stepped into the shower, closing the glass door behind him, he tried not to compare the marble floor here with the linoleum floor at home. Turning on the water, he used whatever energy he had left to step out of the spray in an attempt to avoid the chill before the warm water. Reaching out with his hand, he took his time to deem the water warm enough.

Despite the warmth, the spray hurt against his skin. His gloomy mind would have supplied that he perhaps was sporting a fever, but as it was, he could barely make out his toes as he stared down on the floor. Swearing when he was starting to feel light-headed, the curse-word came out as a grunt. He grabbed the wall, the water still running endlessly. Despite his tiredness, he managed to turn it off.

He knew that he probably wasn't clean, but figured that it didn't matter. _Nothing_ mattered. Not any more, not ever. The thoughts that had been running through his head for the last couple of days were easily picked up and he begun to think anew. He knew that nothing was ever going to be the same. From now on, what was he supposed to do? He knew nothing but his life with Kushina. He knew nothing about Minato.

He grabbed a towel, drying himself as thoroughly as he could muster. With dripping hair, he exited the bathroom. His bedroom was so _bare_. No shelves, no things on the desk, not a single thing that had been picked by him. It was too alike a hotel room, customary sheets and customary paint on the walls to suit every persona.

He opened the closet door, spotlights lightning up the little room per automatic. There were clothes in there, and Naruto studied them with tired detachment. He had never bought these clothes – there were two pair of pants, but no jeans, and a few white button-up shirts. Blue eyes took in the clothing, noticing an unused uniform and a few nice, expensive-looking shoes. There were no t-shirts, no sweatpants, no tights and certainly no sneakers.

He opened a drawer from the chest that was put in the walk-in-closet, finding underwear and socks. As he put them on, he seriously considered just going to bed, in tube socks and boxer shorts. Nevertheless, he had no motivation to go back to bed. He wouldn't fall asleep – he just wanted these thoughts, ideas, questions out of his mind. He needed some kind of distraction, but it wouldn't come with sleep. He hadn't been this tired in a long time, even though he had done nothing but sleep and rest since his arrival.

Therefore, he took a pair of gray slacks, put them on and rolled up the pants legs. He kept rolling them up, because they were way too long, until they reached his knees. The tube socks pooled around his ankles when he tried to pull them up, and he could practically feel his father's disappointment in the clothes. He hadn't grown up to become a tall, bulky teen that ate loads junk food in order to function properly.

He grumbled to himself, opening another drawer to find an undershirt. He put it on clumsily, accidently pulling a little in his wet hair, leaving damp spots on the white fabric. The young danseur couldn't really care, and so, he closed the door to the closet and looked over the room.

There was no television, no computer, no magazines and not a single thing to do but think, think, think. Thinking was exactly what he didn't want to do, but he wasn't sure that he dared to exit the bedroom. His father was at home, obviously. Jiraiya could possibly be there as well.

Naruto didn't want to see them. He wanted to go home to the small house with the picket white fence. This place was too big. There were people cleaning in the corridors, people taking care of the garden, people making food in the kitchen. There wasn't a single place where he could be alone except for his room. Even then, he felt watched and monitored.

He needed someone familiar. He needed some_thing_ familiar.

He needed to get out of here. He looked over at the windows, deeming the height all too high for him to jump down. He didn't want to hurt his feet or legs – he needed those for his dancing. It took him quite some time before he decided to open the door and get out.

The corridor was empty, and Naruto hurried towards the stairs. He didn't mind that a suit-wearing man was standing in the hall when he got downstairs. The man didn't offer a greeting, so Naruto merely put on his sneakers, which had magically appeared in the closet in the hall. He also found his jacket, but he didn't put it on. He was in a hurry. He grabbed it, nodding once when he passed the proper-looking man.

He was gladly surprised with a calm, chilly weather that suited his mood all too well. No raindrops fell from the sky, and that was all he wanted to ask for.

The garden wasn't as impressive in this light as it was when the sun shone or white snow covered the ground. Instead, the bushes of roses and the rippling fountain seemed depressed. The red of the flowers was a horribly dark shade, the petals appearing so soft and fragile. It disturbed him a little too much for his own tastes, so he kept up a hasty pace.

One of the big iron gates was open, so he sneaked out on the pavement without any difficulties. He walked past big houses, surrounded by tall walls and fences as if to keep out the outer world. This part of Konoha seemed foreign and mysterious. He didn't understand the appeal of living in such a shielded world; hiding behind stone walls and trying to pass time in colourful gardens and stylish homes.

He preferred the house in which he had been living for the majority of his life. He preferred the white picket-fences and the close distance between the homes down the street. He enjoyed seeing the mailman when he headed out for a morning run – he couldn't even imagine someone jogging down the streets where his father lived.

Naruto's long legs led him forward, sometimes crossing over the road to head towards the centre of Konoha. There were no buses going through this part of Konoha, so he walked without even thinking of public transport.

It took him half an hour of brisk walking to reach the kiosk that laid only a few hundred metres from the train station, but he wasn't heading there. Still unsure of his destination, he took right and walked past a few apartment buildings. It wasn't until he had gotten to the apartment building painted in canary yellow that he stopped.

He had never been inside of this building before, but he knew who lived there. He had driven past this with his mother to pick the man up, but he had never gone inside. He had never been offered either.

There was a pressure behind blue eyes, and Naruto hesitated to press the intercom-button. He thought of what to say, 'hi, it's Naruto', 'can I come in?' but nothing sounded right. There were no words for what he wanted to say.

With closed eyes, he pressed the button and tried to register what was answered on the other end. He heard a familiar, somewhat electronic voice, but all he could give in reply was,

"Mom is _dead_."

The pressure behind his eyes faded. Warm, salty water escaped from his eyes, running down his scarred cheeks without care for anyone. The energy that had been there during his walk – the energy that had forced him out to take a walk – seemed to let go of its iron grip, leaving Naruto on the asphalt with angry sobs hurting his throat.

He didn't know for how long he sat there, but he knew that it felt all too long before someone came running out through the door to help him up. With a blurry sight, he vaguely recognised his teacher. Iruka said things that he couldn't understand, but it felt all too good to hear the warm and caring voice.

"Come here, Naruto, oh," Iruka whispered into his hair. The slightly taller man hugged him, somehow managing to get the other up the stairs to his apartment. Naruto couldn't find the will to move his legs, and he simply cried on the other's shoulder while being dragged and pulled. "Poor thing, come with me, here."

Iruka used a different tone than the one he used when he was teaching, but Naruto had heard it before. The man had used it on his mother once or twice when she had pulled through a nasty break-up or when she had too much on her plate. Iruka always knew what to say.

However, his words were lost upon the young blond. Naruto couldn't hear anything but his own confusing thoughts – did it hurt, why her, it's my fault, oh God, _stupid rain_.

Of course, had Naruto heard what Iruka was saying, he would have heard, "oh, Naruto, what should I do with you?"

* * *

**To Be Continued**

* * *

******I apologise for the shortness of this and it's sister-story (UPL). Please take some time to check that one out, and also take a look at my poll!**  



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